PM Narendra Modi Interview: When the Ukraine war started in 2022, several countries including India started evacuating their citizens from the war-torn countries.
India conducted Operation Ganga to rescue stranded students in 2022. In the weeks following the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the government rescued thousands of students from Ukraine through neighbouring countries like Romania, Hungary, Poland, Moldova, and Slovakia.
However, a battle of claims and counter-claims followed over whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi actually stopped the war briefly for safe passage for the Indian nationals.
More than two years after the Ukraine War started, PM Modi opened up regarding the government's effort to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine and whether he stopped the war briefly.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, PM Narendra Modi revealed that he called the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine and said he wanted their help as a lot of young Indians were stranded in the warzone.
"I have been very friendly with both the presidents (Russia and Ukraine). I can publicly say to President Putin that this is not the time for war. I can also say publicly to Ukraine that we should follow the path of dialogue. This is because I have credibility," he said.
"...When I said that so many people from India our youth is trapped. And I need your help. And what can I do for you? Then I said, I have arranged so much. You help me so much. They helped. And the strength of the Indian flag was so much that even a foreigner used to hold the Indian flag in his hand. So there was a place for him. So my flag became my guarantee," the Prime Minister remarked.
Prime Minister Modi remarked this while speaking on the Ukraine war during an interview with ANI.
On the question that PM Modi personally intervened to end the hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, PM Modi said, "I had good friendship with both the Presidents (Russia and Ukraine). I said that a lot of young people from India are stuck and I need your help."
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also claimed on Monday that following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's phone call to Russian and Ukrainian presidents, the Ukraine war was briefly paused to facilitate the evacuation of stranded Indian students studying in Ukraine.
“There is a war going on between Russia and Ukraine. Many Indian students were studying there. Missiles were being fired from Russia as well as Ukraine and a large number of people were being killed... Our Prime Minister spoke to the Presidents of Russia, Ukraine and America,” Singh said in an election rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua.